White House says Obama would sign short-term debt limit bill

Lawmakers passed legislation ending the government shutdown Wednesday, one day before the debt ceiling deadline. Chris Burrous reports from Westwood on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2013.

Lawmakers passed legislation ending the government shutdown Wednesday, one day before the debt ceiling deadline. Chris Burrous reports from Westwood on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2013.

CaptionVideo: Obama says Washington must 'regain' trust of Americans

President Barack Obama sought Wednesday to heal the wounds of a debt ceiling and government shutdown showdown, and warned Washington must stop governing by crisis.

President Barack Obama sought Wednesday to heal the wounds of a debt ceiling and government shutdown showdown, and warned Washington must stop governing by crisis.

CaptionFederal Workers Return To Job After 16-day Government Shutdown

Federal Workers Return To Job After 16-day Government Shutdown

Federal Workers Return To Job After 16-day Government Shutdown

CaptionVideo: Obama responds after Senate passes bill

President Barack Obama is thanking Democratic and Republican leaders in the Senate for passing a deal to end the partial government shutdown and avert a default. Obama says if and when the House approves the bill, he'll sign it immediately. (Oct. 16)

President Barack Obama is thanking Democratic and Republican leaders in the Senate for passing a deal to end the partial government shutdown and avert a default. Obama says if and when the House approves the bill, he'll sign it immediately. (Oct. 16)

WASHINGTON -- President Obama likely would sign legislation allowing the government to continue borrowing to cover obligations in the short term, even if it is not coupled with a measure reopening the government, a White House spokesman said Thursday.

“He wants Congress to do both. He wants Congress to fulfill both of its responsibilities,” White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters. “If Congress takes action without partisan strings attached, that would be a good thing.”

Later asked if Obama would sign a debt-limit bill without an accompanying spending bill, Carney said, “yes.”

The comments came hours after House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) proposed a six-week debt limit increase. Such a measure would remove the threat of federal default when the government runs out of borrowing authority sometime around Oct. 17. Boehner’s plan would be linked to a commitment by Obama to negotiate with Republicans over the budget, but would not be tied to any concrete changes in policy.

Boehner’s decision constituted the first clear sign that a budget standoff may be reaching an endgame, although it was unclear whether his plan would find broad support among conservatives in his own party. It also remains unknown whether Senate Democrats, who are meeting with Obama on Thursday afternoon, will accept Boehner’s plan as is or seek to add a measure to reopen government agencies that have been closed since Oct. 1 because Congress has not passed bills to provide funds for them.

The president repeatedly has said that he won’t negotiate with Republicans on the budget until after Congress reopens the government and lifts the threat of a federal default. Obama, along with Senate Democrats, prefers a longer debt limit extension, Carney said, but would not hold out for a longer-term deal as long as no policy amendments were attached.

After more than a week of relative inaction, House Republicans have readied a proposal to temporarily extend the imminent debt ceiling, which they will bring to the table later today during a meeting at the White House with President Obama.

WASHINGTON -- House Speaker John A. Boehner on Thursday proposed a six-week extension of the federal debt limit -- no conditions attached -- but it was unclear if a majority of his fellow Republicans would support it.

The U.S. government has officially shut down, bringing with it thousands of furloughs, cutbacks in federal services and a number of smaller-scale rollbacks that have flown under the radar. Read more: Government shutdown Q&A: Why it's about to get more complicated

With Congress moving closer and closer to the deadline to approve the funding necessary to prevent the government from shutting down, here's a look at the planned drawbacks and furloughs across the government, including the Pentagon and the Smithsonian. Read more: Government shutdown: What...